Minister of Works inspects Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, expresses satisfaction with progress

Stanley Ihedigbo

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has expressed satisfaction with the quality and pace of work on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

During an inspection tour, Umahi highlighted the project’s significance as a critical national economic pillar and emphasized the importance of transparency and proper documentation.

The minister commended the constructor, Hitch Construction Company on the satisfactory progress of various construction processes, including dredging, excavation, dewatering, sand filling, and placement of crushed stone base.

“Due to flooding and sand usage, retaining walls will be introduced to retain sand and protect against flooding, particularly since houses along the stretch have been submerged. The first phase of the highway is expected to be completed within 36 months, with 20 kilometers of the first section anticipated to be ready before the deadline”, the Minister explained.

“We continue to say that this project is being most transparent form, and you can see the level of work being done. When I enter this section one and I see how beautiful this road is, I get very much satisfied. And I say, look, if the road of Earth can be like this, the coastal road can be, how beautiful it is. I’m happy with their progress. This project is a viable one that will generate revenue for the government,” he said.

Managing Director of Hitech Construction Company Limited, Dany Abboud, provided updates on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

According to Abboud, the team encountered challenges that required excavating 10 meters deep and are working to finalize designs to address these issues.

“The construction team is working diligently to complete the project, with 20 kilometers of the first section anticipated to be ready before the deadline. Marine engineers are providing crucial information to structural engineers, who will submit their designs soon. Once approved, the project will continue with the necessary assessments “, he explained.

“We will continue hand in hand with the approval of His Excellency, the Honourable Minister of Works to safeguard everything here and we promised that we will have 20 kilometers on the first section, from kilometer zero to kilometer 20. It will be ready, hopefully before the deadline, and we will have 10 kilometers on both sides ready as well at the end of section one. So we are keeping our promise, and we will keep informing the ministry.

“We appreciate all the provisions made by the Federal Minister of Works, having their engineers day and night with us. And this is not a small project. This is not a small task. Having 24 hours people on the ground”, he said.

Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. Mrs. Mrs Olukorede Keisha, assured the minister of round-the-clock supervision to ensure the project meets specifications and is completed promptly.

Hitech Construction Company Limited has a strong track record of innovation and expertise in construction and engineering technology in Nigeria, which will likely contribute to the project’s success.